A Year in the Life of Tony DiNozzo
by julesmonster
Summary: As the title states, this is the story of a year in the life of Tony DiNozzo, but it isn't just any year. Everything begins to change when Tony meets a young scientist from the Jeffersonian. Slash TD/ZA.
1. Chapter 1

**A Year in the Life of Tony DiNozzo**

**by Julesmonster**

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary: **As the title states, this is the story of a year in the life of Tony DiNozzo, but it isn't just any year. Everything begins to change when Tony meets a young scientist from the Jeffersonian.

**A/N: **I'm not sure where the plot bunny for this one came from, but she sure was insistent. I've been working on a Booth/Zach story but this little bunny had to interrupt and insisted on being heard. Trina, the goddess of porn, is on vacation. As a result, I think this is the first story I have ever written that can actually qualify as K+/PG. Go figure. There are 7 chapters total, and one chapter will be posted each morning as usual. Hope you read and enjoy it! Jules

**PART ONE**

"Please, say it isn't so!" Tony groaned with disbelief. He stared at the younger man with the messy hair and blank expression who was so totally focused on his work. "How can anyone—besides Gibbs that is, because he never watches movies—not have seen Star Wars? And you call yourself a red-blooded American?"

The object of Tony's curiosity paused in his work and looked up at the NCIS agent with a look of confusion. "All humans have red blood, no matter their nationality."

Tony rolled his eyes at the younger man. "It's an expression. You're as bad as Ziva, but at least she has the excuse of being born in another country.'

"I often wonder if Zach is from another planet," one of the other scientists said as he collected soil samples. He was about Tony's age, with curly blond hair and a beard that hadn't quite grown in fully yet. "Don't try to understand it. He just is what he is."

"No," Tony said and shook his head as he looked back at Zach Addy who had gone back to collecting bone fragments from the pile of compost. They were investigating the mangled remains of a body that had been destroyed in a wood chipper and left to decompose in a composting bin on the base in Anacostia. As talented as Ducky and Abby were, there was no way that they would ever be able to piece this body back together without help, or six months in which to do it, which was why Gibbs had called in the team from the Jeffersonian. Dr. Temperance Brennan and her team usually worked with the FBI, but Gibbs had called in a few favors and now they were working with NCIS's MCRT.

Tony's job was pretty simple right then: keep them safe, make sure they didn't compromise any evidence and stay out of their way. It was a boring assignment and Tony would have rather been tracking down possible witnesses with Ziva and Gibbs, or even going through computer records with McGee, trying to trace the rented wood chipper. Instead, he was stuck with the weird scientists.

"No," Tony repeated. "That's not acceptable. You, Dr. Addy, have got to climb out of the lab and see the world."

Zach paused again and frowned at Tony. "Special Agent DiNozzo, I do not believe that watching a movie—even a series of movies—could be considered seeing the world. And I do not spend all of my time in a laboratory."

"Yeah, he builds airplanes and flies them in his spare time," Hodgins said teasingly. "I've been telling him forever that he needs to get out more."

"See that," Tony told Zach. "You should listen to your friends. You need to get out more."

Zach continued to place particles into a bag and sighed. "Fine, I will watch this movie." He paused and looked at Hodgins. "Do video stores still rent DVDs? Would I need a membership?"

Tony and Hodgins both groaned. Then Tony smiled. "Forget it. You can come to my place. I've got all six episodes on BluRay. We can do a marathon this weekend. Assuming neither of is called out for a case."

"That will be acceptable," Zach said without looking up. "Thank you Special Agent DiNozzo."

"You should really call me Tony," the agent said, "especially if you're going to spend all day watching movies with me."

Zach looked up again and gave Tony a small smile. "Tony. You may call me Zach."

"DiNozzo!" Tony turned sharply and saw that Gibbs had returned and was talking to Dr. Brennan. They were making their way over to where Tony was standing. Tony went to meet them half way. "Leave the kid alone to do his job and do yours!"

"Right Boss!" Tony said. "What exactly should I be doing? I mean, you said stay and watch the Jeffersonian scientists. Is there something I should be doing now instead?" Gibbs rolled his eyes and reached out to smack the back of Tony's head. "Sorry, Boss."

"Dr. Brennan said that they are just about finished here," Gibbs said. "When they're done, I want you to go with them back to the Jeffersonian. They find anything, I want to know it."

Tony sighed. "Boss, can't McGee go? He's a science ge… guy like them. He'd fit in so much better." Gibbs just glared at Tony until the younger man relented. "How long?"

"Until I say different," Gibbs said. "Until further notice, you're on their team. They work, you work. They go home, you go home. You'll check in with me, but I want eyes and ears in that lab." Gibbs paused before saying a softer tone, "Tony, you know what's important and what's not, McGee doesn't always."

Tony brightened at the compliment and felt a little better about being banished to the Jeffersonian. "Thanks Boss."

"Special Agent Gibbs," Dr. Brennan said, interrupting. "With a body this deteriorated, it will take some time before we have any useful information to share. Perhaps it would be better if Agent DiNozzo—"

"With all due respect, Dr. Brennan," Gibbs said, halting her mid stream. "This is my investigation and I do not like having my evidence in a place where I have no control of it, in the hands of people I do not know. I know your team is very good at what they do or else I wouldn't have gotten you involved, and I'm sure your team are all trustworthy; however, there are a lot of people who have access to your facilities and a lot of variables that I have no control over. So, Agent DiNozzo _will_ be with your team for the duration of this investigation."

"Fine," Dr. Brennan said coolly and then walked over to where Zach and Hodgins were now packing up their gear and the evidence bags.

Gibbs waited until they were all out of earshot before turning to Tony. "You should be careful with the kid."

Tony snorted. "He's not exactly a kid, though he does look like one, doesn't he?"

"How old?" Gibbs asked.

"Twenty-three," Tony said sheepishly. He was more than ten years Zach's senior. "But he holds two doctorates. He's a smart guy."

"Seems very naïve," Gibbs said. "Just go easy on him. And be careful. You know that they work with the FBI. Anything that happens on that team has the potential to make the rounds."

Tony frowned. He knew that. There were only two people at NCIS who knew that Tony was actually bisexual: Gibbs and Abby. He'd made sure of that over the years. He knew that being openly gay or bisexual in either law enforcement or the military could be dangerous. Hell, they'd investigated enough hate crimes at NCIS for him to _know_ it was dangerous. Gibbs had always cautioned Tony to keep this part of his life quiet and Tony knew that it was out of fear for his safety, but sometimes Tony got tired of all the lies.

"Maybe I'm tired of hiding," Tony said quietly.

Gibbs looked at him closely. "Be very sure. Once you make that choice, there's no going back." Tony nodded and Gibbs put a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder. "You know I've got your six no matter what you decide."

"Thanks, Jethro," Tony said. It wasn't often that he used Gibbs' first name but at times like this, when the subject matter was so deeply personal, it seemed more fitting.

"Go," Gibbs said as he patted Tony's shoulder. "It looks like they are about ready. And check in regularly."

Tony smiled. "You got it, Boss."

Tony headed over to where the Jeffersonian team was waiting beside their truck. "Well, I've got room in my car if one of you wants to ride with me."

"You go, Zach," Hodgins said. "I wanted to talk with Dr. Brennan about something."

Tony smiled at the younger man and ignored the way Dr. Brennan began to argue. He'd let Hodgins deal with her. It was obvious that Hodgins was all for letting Tony work his magic with his young colleague. Zach just looked a little nervous but nodded and followed Tony to his car.

Once they were buckled in, Zach said, "I am not comfortable in cars. I know how many people die in car accidents every year. I know how gruesome those deaths can be. I have identified the remains of some."

"Then don't ever get into a car with Gibbs," Tony told him with a chuckle. "He'll put you completely over the edge. But I'm a good driver and I'll make sure we get there safely."

Zach turned to look at Tony, who was pulling the car away from the crime scene and said thoughtfully, "I trust you to look out for my safety. That is odd. I have no reason to believe that way."

Tony glanced over at Zach with a pleased smile. "It's called gut instinct. In my job we learn to trust those instincts. And usually there's a reason for that feeling. It's just your head hasn't made the connection yet. You have been watching me and talking to me for a few hours now. Maybe there are things that you have observed that make you feel comfortable trusting me."

"Perhaps you are correct," Zach said as he sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. "In my work, we are taught to rely upon observable evidence, collect empirical data, using reason and logic to test and substantiate our theories, and then corroborate through duplication. We do not guess and we do not use instinct."

"Everyone uses their instincts sometimes,' Tony said. "You may not with your work, but I think you probably do. For instance, have you ever been looking at a set of bones and gotten stuck? I mean, you just hit a brick wall. But then you think, 'What if I try this?' And it turns out you were right. That's instinct."

"That is not instinct," Zach argued. "That is an educated supposition based upon studying the many variables of the case."

Tony chuckled. "If you say so. But I don't think what you said and what I'm talking about are very far off."

Zach nodded and thought about that for a while, but then his mind turned to others considerations. "Why did you invite me to your home?"

"Because I like you," Tony said easily.

"That does not seem likely," Zach said mildly. "Most people find me very off-putting."

"Yeah, well, they can't see what I see," Tony said. "You study dead people, but I study living people. I can tell a few things about you just from one meeting."

"Is this more instinct?" Zach asked.

"No, this is plain old observation and deduction," Tony said.

"What have you observed?" Zach asked curiously.

Tony paused for a moment to gather his thoughts as they got on the highway. "Well, first of all, you are very intelligent. And I know that not because I've been told your educational background or you job. I would know that even if I knew nothing about you."

"How?" Zach wondered.

"It's the way you study things," Tony said. "You're quiet much of the time, but I can tell that there's a lot going on in that big brain of yours. You watch me. You watch your colleagues. You watch other people. But you also take in other information. For example, what color was the bicycle that was in the yard across from our dead body?"

"Green," Zach answered automatically.

"See," Tony said with a smirk. "You take in all this information. It's kinda cool. I also know that you probably had a rough time at school. You were younger than the other kids and they picked on you because you were so smart. You probably come from a large family."

"How did you know that?" Zach asked with genuine surprise.

Tony laughed, glad that he could surprise the younger man. "You are a watcher. Watchers are usually middle children. The larger the family, the more likely you spent your youth being shuffled along and not necessarily ignored, but not noticed either. It makes you a better observer than others."

"You are a good observer," Zach pointed out. "Does that mean that you are a middle child as well?"

"Nope, I'm an only child," Tony said without the humor that had been present the entire day. "But I was ignored and learned very early what to do to get people's attention. But in order to know what people want from you, you have to be able to watch them and read them."

"What else have you noticed about me?" Zach asked, not completely comfortable with the serious turn their conversation had taken.

"Well, I know that you like me," Tony grinned and just like that the mood in the car seemed brighter. "Even if you do a damn good job at hiding your emotions." Zach flushed a little then. "And I know that you are a good friend, otherwise Hodgins wouldn't care about your personal life. You're loyal and trustworthy; Dr. Brennan obviously trusts your skill and you have chosen to stay with the team rather than go off on your own after getting your doctorates. And I know that you are rather naïve in the ways of the heart."

Zach flushed again and looked at his hands in his lap. "I have not had much success with women. No, that is untrue. I have no success with women. I have been told that I have no skill in bed by the few women I have dated."

"Maybe that's your problem," Tony said casually, though he was a little nervous about bringing such a subject up so early on in their friendship. If that's what this was. "Maybe it wasn't a lack of skill on your part, but a disinterest. Maybe you were choosing the wrong people to date."

Zach blushed again when he realized what Tony was trying to say. "You think I should date men?"

Tony shrugged. "Maybe."

"I have never considered the possibility that I might be gay," Zach said.

"Maybe you should at least consider the possibility," Tony said. "It seems unlike you to form a conclusion before gathering all the facts."

"Perhaps," was all that Zach said in response.


	2. Chapter 2

**PART TWO**

"So?" Hodgins asked Zach a couple hours later. Tony was currently talking to Angela about some band that was scheduled to play at a club both of them frequented and Hodgins finally had a moment alone with Zach to find out what had taken place during their ride back to the museum.

"What?" Zach asked in confusion.

Hodgins rolled his eyes. "The ride with Agent DiNozzo. How did it go?"

"We talked," Zach said haltingly. Hodgins looked like he wanted more detail, so Zach continued. "He is a very interesting man. We discussed instinct versus reason. We also discussed…"

"What?" Hodgins asked.

"He is a very observant person," Zach said. "He guessed that I was from a large family and that I was a middle child based solely upon his observations of my behavior at the crime scene. He also said that he thinks my problems with women might be based upon…"

"He thinks you're gay," Hodgins said, sparing his friend from having to confess.

"Yes," Zach said as he eyed his friend suspiciously.

"Come on, Zach, don't look at me like that. We've all thought it was a possibility," Hodgins said. "We just… well, we didn't want to offend you or something. We just thought you'd figure it out on your own in time."

"Is that why you pushed me to ride with him?" Zach asked. "You wanted me to… discover my sexuality?"

"Zach, buddy, that guy spent most of the day flirting with you and then he asked you on a date," Jack said kindly. "I think he likes you and I think you should at least give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen?"

Zach considered that. "It seems unlikely that it could be worse than my evening with Naomi from Paleontology."

"How's the jigsaw puzzle going?" Tony asked as he returned to the platform where the two men were working. They had already separated all the bone fragments from the composting material and Zach was now attempting to put the pieces together while Hodgins worked on getting enough human DNA material from the compost to make a match.

Zach looked confused until Jack said, "He means the skeleton."

"Oh" Zach said. "We have barely begun. The process of reassembling a skeleton this badly damaged is rather time consuming."

"Have they found any other leads from the evidence collected at the crime scene?" Hodgins asked.

Tony shrugged. "Abby and Tim think they have narrowed down the type of shredder used, but tracking down who bought it, or rented it, is about as slow as putting this guy back together. Until we find out who he or she was, things won't get too far in the investigation."

"Your boss doesn't seem like the kind to patiently wait for answers," Hodgins said.

"He's not," Tony admitted. "And my team will be feeling the brunt of his impatience. Maybe they'll find a little more appreciation for me while I'm gone."

"What do you mean?" Zach asked.

Tony sighed. "Just that I do a lot to deflect his moods. The others don't always realize how difficult that can be."

"How do you do that?" Zach asked curiously.

Tony shrugged again and fiddled with a pen from the table by the edge of the platform. "Different ways; mostly I joke around and draw his attention away from them. I give him a place to focus his annoyance and frustration. He knows what I'm doing, so he's not too mad usually, but I think that Ziva and McGee, my teammates, don't get how much work it is to keep him from being a complete bastard."

"You have an unusual relationship with your boss," Zach said. "The way you were talking just before we left was not… typical."

Tony smiled. "Gibbs is more than just my boss. He's my friend. We worked alone together as a team of two for a couple years before anyone else came along and we got close. We're the closest thing to family either of us has. Well, that's not entirely true. I mean, my father is still around, but we aren't close. And Jethro has issues with his father too. Not that I fully understand those issues. I mean, I think Jackson is a great guy. But they are very different, so I guess I can see how they would rub the wrong way."

"So you throw yourself under the bus to protect them but they don't recognize that's what you're doing?" Hodgins said, pulling Tony back from his tangent. "That's gotta suck."

"Sometimes," Tony said. He was feeling a little sorry he had brought up the subject, so he pasted on a smile and shifted gears. "So, Zach, you have to have some interests besides work and building model airplanes. What else do you like to do? What guilty pleasures are you hiding?"

Zach had to think about that. What else did he enjoy doing? Then he realized there was one thing that not even Hodgins knew. "I like to read comic books. I am not a true collector; I do not care about the value of a comic book. I just like to read the stories."

"See now we're getting somewhere," Tony said.

"I never knew that," Jack said. "What sort of comics do you read?"

"My favorites are the ones with superheroes who are, by and large, average people who use ingenuity to overcome their mediocrity," Zach said.

"Like Batman or Ironman?" Tony asked.

"Exactly," Zach said. "They do not rely upon super powers to save them. Batman has a whole arsenal of gadgets that he can use to catch the bad guys. And Ironman built a suit that gives him some of the same powers that other superheroes get by accident or birth."

"There are some great movies about both those characters," Tony said. "Maybe we can have another movie date to watch them."

"Is that what Saturday is?" Zach asked. "Is it a date?"

Tony glanced at Hodgins, who politely turned away to give them a modicum of privacy, but then gave Zach his attention again. "I can be if you want it to be. If not, we can just call it two friends hanging out together."

Zach nodded. "I think that it would be okay to call it a date."

Tony grinned. "Good."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Tony wanted to take Zach home when they finally finished for the day, but after such a long day it seemed like he was pushing his luck, so he let Zach go with Hodgins as he usually did and instead headed off to Gibbs' house. He picked up a pizza and some beer on the way and then let himself into the house. Gibbs was just coming up from the basement, still brushing sawdust from his jeans.

"I was wondering if you were going to show up," Gibbs said. He went to the sink to wash up while Tony set the pizza and beer on the coffee table and then walked to the kitchen to get plates.

"Yeah, well, they work as late on a case as we do," Tony said. "We just finished for the evening."

Gibbs sat and served himself a slice of pizza. Tony sat at the other end of the worn sofa and grabbed a beer. They ate in silence for a while until most of the pizza was gone and there were only two beers left.

"I think I could really like this guy," Tony said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Tony said. "He's different, but it's a good different. He said he's never considered being with a man, and yet he agreed that he'd like to date."

Gibbs was quiet for a minute. "Sounds like he doesn't really know what he wants."

"I don't think he does," Tony agreed. "But he's open to giving it a shot. And I think his team believes he's gay. He's so smart about some things and yet just completely clueless about others."

"Just be careful," Gibbs told him. "I'd rather not see you get hurt if he decides he's straight."

Tony had to agree with that. He'd rather he didn't get hurt, but he'd been running away from any serious emotional ties for too long. He wanted more from life than short affairs and long work hours… and he thought that Zach might want the same things, too. Or at least he hoped so. "We'll take things slow, see how it plays out. But… I could really see myself falling for him."

They were both quiet for a few minutes while they opened their third beer apiece and drank. Eventually Gibbs nodded. "Like I said, I'll have your six, no matter how it plays out."

"Thanks," Tony said quietly. "How'd it go today?"

For the next few minutes, Gibbs brought Tony up to speed on the case and then Tony offered a few thoughts that might help them with their investigation. When it started getting later, Gibbs asked, "You staying?"

"Nah," Tony said. "Didn't bring a change of clothes. Gotta restock my kit. Besides, my place is closer to the Jeffersonian. I'll call in the morning."

Tony got up and headed for the door, but Gibbs stopped him. "I think the team missed you today."

Tony grinned at him. "You in a particularly bad mood, Boss?"

Gibbs smirked. "Maybe. Maybe I just think they need a reminder of what you do for them."

Tony laughed. "Goodnight Jethro."

"Night, Tony."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Over the next two days Tony found that he rather enjoyed hanging out at the Jeffersonian. Their work was actually pretty interesting, if you could get past the geek-speak. He spent time observing each of the various members of the team and each one was pretty special in their own right. But his favorite part about being assigned to the Jeffersonian was being able to flirt and tease and talk to Zach. He had made it a personal goal to make the man smile and laugh as much as possible. Since his sense of humor was a bit stunted at times, that proved to be real challenge.

Tony called into NCIS regularly, giving updates on the scientists' progress and getting updates on the investigation. Tony also spoke with Abby and told her all about the work that the various scientists were doing. She so badly wanted to come over and see the lab herself, but between Gibbs and the other teams, she was neck deep in evidence she needed to analyze. She was pleased to let Tony know that his absence was beginning to really get to the two junior agents on their team.

"By the time you get back, they'll be baking you a cake for all the times you've deflected Gibbs moods," Abby predicted. "Usually when you aren't around it's for very short periods or because you are hurt and they don't have enough time to even process that Gibbs is different when you aren't there."

Tony was feeling rather good about that news. "What else has been going on?"

Abby hesitated and Tony could hear her going into her office and shutting the door behind her. "Gibbs talked to me about… what you said at the crime scene the other day. Wanted to make sure I'd be there if it comes out."

"If _**I**_ come out you mean," Tony said quietly, glancing around to make sure that he was alone in the small side hallway off the lab.

"That too," Abby said. "You and he should both know by now that I'm behind you 100% no matter what you decide."

"I do," Tony assured her. "I never doubted either you or Gibbs' support."

"Good," Abby said. "But… is this guy worth it? I mean, you just met him, didn't you?"

And so Tony launched into long winded description of Dr. Zach Addy. He told her about their flirtations and their conversations and how much he was looking forward to spending time alone with the man.

"I want to meet him," Abby declared when Tony had finished.

Tony laughed. "If this works out, I have every intention of letting you meet him."

"He really won't drive?" Abby asked, almost as an afterthought.

"He doesn't even like riding in a car," Tony confirmed. "I think he would walk everywhere if he could."

Abby chuckled. "Well, they say that with genius comes eccentricity."

Tony thought about Abby and her coffin and had to agree.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Tony took Zach to lunch on Friday. It was partly because he just wanted to spend some time with Zach where Zach's attention wasn't split between his work and Tony and partly because he wanted to get away from the constant observation of the rest of the Jeffersonian team. Jack Hodgins wasn't the only one who was rooting for Tony and Zach to get together. It seemed everyone—except Dr. Brennan, who seemed as clueless about these things as Zach—believed that Zach just needed to find the right person to be happy. And they all wanted him to be happy. Unfortunately, that also meant that every time Tony and Zach talked there was someone right there listening and watching. It was getting a little out of hand and making Tony self-conscious.

"Is this a date?" Zach asked once they had been seated by the hostess. Tony had taken Zack to a pretty nice restaurant not far from the Jeffersonian. He knew from talk that the team frequented the diner nearby and he wanted to go someplace they wouldn't be interrupted.

Tony smiled. "Yeah, it's a date."

"Okay," Zach said. "I just wanted to be sure, because I often have lunch with Jack or Angela and I do not believe those would be considered dates."

"How many dates have you been on?" Tony asked out of curiosity.

Zach paused to calculate the number in his head. "Seven, though one of those I'm not sure counted as a date since we met by chance and it was only for coffee."

"Were any of those repeats?" Tony asked.

"There have only been four girls," Zach said. "And of those only three consented to sexual intercourse. None of them chose to continue the relationship after having sex."

"That bothers you," Tony said.

Zach looked at him directly. "I do not understand what I did wrong and no one seems to be able to explain it to me. I do fear that your theory about my previous partners being the wrong gender might be wrong and that it is some inherent flaw in me."

"In my experience, it is never a matter of one person being at fault when things don't go well," Tony said. "If sex is bad, it's because the two people together aren't compatible. You could be the most spectacular stud in bed and still find that one person who just doesn't mesh."

"Do you have a lot of experience?" Zach asked.

Tony hesitated in the act of lifting his water glass and then smiled wryly. "More than I should, probably. I've been a bit of a playboy. Mostly with women, but also with a few men. Though I do enjoy being with women, I've known that I prefer men for a long time. I dated women to keep up appearances, but I could never commit to them because they weren't what I really wanted. And the men… No one ever seemed worth all the trouble it would cause if word got out that I was with a man."

Zach thought about that. "But you have been pursuing me openly."

"Only in front of your team and Gibbs," Tony said. "Besides, I've kinda decided that I'm tired of hiding who I am. I'm a damn good agent and if the people I work with can't accept me for what I am, then it's their loss."

"I suppose that I am lucky that there are no such prejudices in my field," Zach said. "There may be one or two people at the museum who are narrow-minded but, on the whole, no one really cares about issues of a personal nature. My friends all seem to believe that I would do better in a same-sex relationship. They have each taken me aside in the last two days to encourage me to explore things with you."

Tony smiled at that. "I'm glad. I'm glad that your friends seem to accept me in your life."

Zach nodded. "What about your friends?"

"Gibbs and Abby both know that I want to pursue a relationship with you," Tony admitted. "They are the only ones I trust enough to know right now. Abby is dying to meet you, by the way."

"She is the forensic scientist at NCIS?" Zach asked.

"Yeah," Tony said. "Abby Sciuto. She's brilliant. Possibly as much of a genius as you or Dr. Brennan."

"Abby Sciuto?" Zach asked. "I have read several of her journal articles. She has a very unique perspective on forensics."

"Abby's a very unique woman," Tony said fondly.

"I would very much like to meet her," Zach said with a decisive nod.


	3. Chapter 3

**PART THREE**

Tony spent Friday evening getting everything together that the two men would need for a day spent watching movies. He knew from talking with Zach that the younger man was not a drinker, so he had bought juice and soda instead of beer. He'd gotten lots of popcorn and other snacks. And he had made baked macaroni and cheese, Zach's favorite food. All he had to do was heat it up in the oven for their dinner.

The knock on his door Saturday morning was not unexpected and it was right on time. Tony let Zach inside and took his jacket. "I was just about to make some breakfast. How do omelets sound?"

"Can I have mine with ham and cheese?" Zach asked.

"Anything you want," Tony said. "Well, as long as I've got it in the fridge. I do have ham and cheese, though."

Zach followed Tony into the kitchen and watched him whip up the eggs until they were frothy before pouring the mixture into the pan. Then Tony set about preparing the ham and cheese. A few minutes later, Tony was serving up two plates and joined Zach at the table.

"I would like to know more about these movies," Zach said. "My older siblings all enjoyed the earlier series and my younger siblings all seemed to like the later ones. They have argued the merits of both at family holidays enough for me to know that much, but I never paid attention to what the story is about."

"Well, it's about civil war," Tony said, "and the battle between good and evil and how the line between those two concepts isn't as clearly defined as we would like to pretend."

"I thought it was about space ships," Zach said.

Tony chuckled. "It's about that too."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

They watched the original trilogy first. Tony said it was because so many of the secrets are given away in episodes 1, 2, and 3. That was how they spent the morning, watching and eventually snacking on popcorn and peanuts and assorted candies that Tony had bought for the occasion. They had sandwiches for lunch and Tony insisted that they should take a small walk afterward to stretch and to let their food digest. And so they walked around Tony's neighborhood for a while and talked about the first three movies and what Zach had thought of them.

"I can see the themes of good and evil, but there are still so many questions I have," Zach said. "For instance, why did Darth Vader turn to the dark side in the first place?"

"Well, that's what we're going to find out when we get back," Tony said. "The first three episodes are about Vader's story, how he became what he was in the end. That's why we watched the older movies first, even though it was out of order. It'll just make more sense this way."

They went back to the apartment and the second half of the marathon went much the same as the first. Tony put the macaroni and cheese into the oven part way through the second movie and Zach didn't even notice him get up, he was so caught up in the story. Tony took a moment to watch Zach and smiled. The younger man was everything that Tony had hoped for and more. He just hoped that he could be what Zach wanted as well.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

The final movie had ended and Zach sat staring at the screen for a while after it was all over. "I still do not understand. He had a wife whom he loved and yet that was not enough for him."

"Sometimes the lure of power and ambition is stronger than love," Tony said. "But remember, he turned around in the end. When the choice came for him to continue to follow the Emperor or save his son, he chose his son and found redemption."

Zach was quiet. "Would your father choose you over power and ambition?"

Tony was struck by the deeply personal question but felt compelled to answer him honestly, rather than with the easy quips he usually used to deflect. "My father would choose money and power over almost anything. He… was not a good father. He spent much of my childhood drunk and as an adult he rarely even calls, let alone comes to see me."

"I am sorry," Zach said as he looked at Tony with wide eyes. "I did not mean…"

"It's okay," Tony assured him. "What about your parents?"

Zach shrugged. "They love me and I love them, but there is nothing that binds us. They have never been able to cope with the differences between us. I go home for Christmas, and we talk on the phone, but the conversations are stilted. We have nothing in common." Zach paused and looked closely at Tony. "Are you going to kiss me?"

Tony chuckled, delighted by the fact that Zach could totally surprise him. "I think I might. Why do you ask?"

"This is our second date," Zach explained. "And we have not yet exchanged any sort of physical intimacy."

"There isn't a schedule," Tony said teasingly. "We don't have to follow some arbitrary set of guidelines." He looked closer at Zach's flushing face. "Okay, spill. What schedule do you have in that amazing head of yours?"

Zach stared at his hands in his lap but answered easily enough. "It is not a schedule, simply the accumulation of my experiences. First date kiss, second date sexual intercourse. I have never had a third date, so I have no idea what would occur then."

"And I've been throwing your theories on dating out of whack by skewing the data," Tony teased.

"Yes," Zach said.

"Well we can't have that," Tony said as he leaned over and captured Zach's lips with his own for a brief but meaningful kiss. "Does that help keep your data valid?"

Zach's eyes were glazed and his breathing rather shallow. "Only if we are now going to have sexual intercourse."

Tony groaned at the thought of taking Zach to his bed and introducing him to the pleasures of the flesh. He leaned his forehead against Zach's and said, "As tempting as that is, I think we should proceed a little bit slower. There are so many steps that we can explore between kissing and sex. How about we stick to kissing tonight and on our next date, I'll introduce you to one or two of those other options?"

"As long as there is more kissing tonight," Zach agreed readily.

With an invitation like that, how could Tony not kiss the younger man again?

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Tony went over to Gibbs' house the next morning with breakfast sandwiches and coffee from Gibbs' favorite shop. Unsurprisingly, Gibbs was in the basement when he arrived. Tony headed there and set the food on the work bench before sitting on the stool and watching while Gibbs finished what he was doing. After a few minutes, Gibbs brushed the dust off his hands and came over.

"Thanks," Gibbs said as he lifted the cup of coffee and took a long drink. Then he began to dig through the bag. "Wasn't sure if you'd be busy today."

Tony smiled. "I'm meeting Zach later for our third date. He's taking me to some model airplane show in Virginia."

Gibbs snorted. "Sounds about right."

"Things are going well," Tony said. "I think that we could really make something of this."

"Good," Gibbs said. "Abby's been bugging me for information."

Tony chuckled. "I already told her about him. What else does she need to know?"

"If he's worthy of you," Gibbs said easily. He took a bite of the sandwich Tony had brought for him: sausage egg and cheese on a round roll.

Tony dug into his own sandwich and the two men ate in silence for a time. "I told him a little bit about my dad."

Gibbs' brows rose in surprise. "Huh."

"He asked and I felt like it was okay to tell him," Tony said. "He doesn't judge or offer unwanted sympathy. He's very matter-of-fact about most things. It made it easier somehow."

Gibbs seemed to consider that and then nodded. He could understand that. "I told Abby she could go over and consult with the Jeffersonian team tomorrow."

Tony groaned. "Boss, why'd you have to do that?"

Gibbs smirked. "So she would stop pestering me and could start pestering you."

"Thanks a lot," Tony said dryly.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

"This is a nice place," Tony said. "When you said you live over Hodgins' garage, I was picturing a tiny little one room place like the Fonz's place." Zach stared at him blankly. "The Fonz? _Happy Days_? Never mind. Just how big is this apartment?"

Tony looked around the large living room that opened up to a full sized kitchen with completely modern amenities. He could see a long hallway off to one side with several doors.

"There are a guest bedroom and a guest bathroom in addition to the master suite," Zach said. "I also have an office. I have considered turning the storage room at the end of the hall into a workout room, but have yet to do so."

"You work out?" Tony asked with surprise.

Zach nodded. "Every morning. I run on the treadmill most days. I also use free weights and have a multi-purpose weight machine. Angela also makes me do yoga twice a week with her." Zach frowned. "She said it is to help keep me centered but I do not understand what that means."

Tony chuckled. "Well, it will at least keep you flexible and help with balance."

Zach nodded. "I have found that to be true. Would you like something to drink? I do not keep a lot in the refrigerator, but I do have water, tea or soda."

"Water would be great," Tony said. He followed Zach into the kitchen and looked around the room. While it had obviously been remodeled recently, it was also obviously mostly unused. There were no little gadgets on the counter. There was not even a coffee pot—Gibbs would be shocked. The only small appliance in the space, and the only thing that was probably used often, was the microwave. "You don't cook."

"No," Zach said. "I never learned. And I can fix most things in the microwave."

"Such a waste," Tony said. "I would kill for a kitchen like this to work in. I may just have to make dinner for you just for a chance to cook in such a great kitchen."

"That would be acceptable," Zach said. Tony noticed the small smile that flirted with the corners of Zach's mouth and knew that Zach liked that idea a lot. "What did you think of the model airplane show?"

"It was interesting," Tony admitted as he accepted the glass of water from Zach. "I mean, the fact that all those guys built those little planes out of nothing was pretty impressive. Never knew so many people were into that sort of thing, though I guess I shouldn't be surprised. McGee is nuts for jet packs, so why wouldn't there be just as big of fanatics for other things like that. You ever built one of those planes?"

"Three," Zach said. "Though they are now all in the storage room. I have not had time recently for pursuing such things, I still enjoy going to the shows."

Tony set both his and Zach's glasses down on the counter and wrapped his arms loosely around the smaller man. "Well, I'm glad you brought me. I liked seeing you get so excited over something."

Zach took a step forward. "This is our third date, and you promised to show me some of the other things we could do together."

"I did, didn't I?" Tony said his voice husky with arousal. He leaned down to kiss Zach and wasn't surprised that Zach had gained enough confidence to become a little more aggressive. Tony still controlled the kisses, but Zach was no longer just along for the ride. He actively began to seek out Tony's lips and tongue, testing and teasing.

Zach was the first to pull away, his breathing harsh. "Perhaps we should…go to the bedroom?"

"Lead the way," Tony whispered into Zach's ear and felt the man tremble in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**PART FOUR**

Abby strolled into the lab at the Jeffersonian around 10 the next morning causing many heads to turn and conversations to tumble to a halt. She was dressed to the nines in her favorite outfit and Tony had to smile at her. She was wearing a black and red plaid mini skirt, black tights with red and white skulls all over, a white t-shirt with simulated blood spatter on it, and her favorite pair of platform boots laced up to her knees. Her hair was in the usual pigtails and many of her tattoos were displayed for all to see.

"Tony!" Abby cried as soon as she saw him standing on the platform. She rushed over to him, but was halted by the guard standing at the base of the stairs. She huffed and showed him her pass. A few quickly exchanged words and he had shown her how to swipe the pass-card through the reader and then she was throwing herself into Tony's arms. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've only been gone a few days," Tony said as he endured her overly enthusiastic greeting. "And we've talked on the phone practically every day. How many CafPows have you had this morning?"

Abby looked a little sheepish. "Three. But I was nervous about coming over here! I want to meet your new friends! And they have to like me, so I got a little worked up."

Tony chuckled and turned to see that the entire Jeffersonian team was watching them. They had been looking over the newly reassembled skeleton for any sort of clues, but were now all looking at Tony and Abby as though they were specimen to be studied.

"Abby, come meet the team," Tony said and gently led the Goth over to the others. "Abs, this is Dr. Temperance Brennan, Dr. Cam Saroyan, Dr. Jack Hodgins, Angela Montenegro, and Dr. Zach Addy. Everyone, this is Abby Sciuto, NCIS's lead forensic scientist."

"You seem awfully young to hold such an important position," Cam said, though her tone was more curious than judgmental.

"Maybe I should have used her credentials too," Tony said. "Abby's got two doctorates and three masters degrees. And I'm not sure how many undergraduate degrees you have."

"Five," Abby said with a shrug. "I never use my title or credentials. I'm just Abby." 

"I have read many of your papers in the journals," Dr. Brennan said. "You are very intelligent and… inventive."

"Thanks," Abby said brightly. "I've read some of your stuff too. And your novels. Timmy said he met you at a convention once."

"Timmy?" Dr. Brennan asked.

"Tim McGee," Tony clarified. "He's on our NCIS team. He's also a published writer in his spare time. Goes by the name of Tom E. Gemcity."

"Ooh! Deep Six was a great book," Angela gushed. "Wait, does that mean…? You're Agent Tommy?"

Tony flushed. "Well, sort of."

Abby decided to spare Tony and said, "Now Zach, I've been hearing a lot about you. I think you and I need to have lunch."

Zach's eyes widened in horror. He had said he wanted to meet this woman, but she was a lot different than he had pictured in his mind… a lot scarier.

Tony groaned. "Abs…"

"Fine, you can come too," Abby sighed. "But I intend on getting some answers with or without your interference."

"Perhaps we can show you the progress we've made on the investigation," Cam said diplomatically.

While Cam and Dr. Brennan showed Abby what they had learned thus far, Tony, Angela and Hodgins went to sooth a suddenly nervous Zach.

"Don't let her intimidate you," Angela advised.

"Abby's not as scary as she seems at first," Tony assured him. "And I'll be there."

Zach looked at him. "I think having lunch with Agent Gibbs would be less frightening."

Tony considered that and had to agree. "Probably. She's just curious, though." Tony smiled and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Zach couldn't help but return his smile. "I better go make sure Abby doesn't get too sidetracked. She'll want to know what every piece of equipment does and then start demanding that we get one for NCIS."

Once Tony was gone Angela and Hodgins turned to Zach. "Looks like you and Tony have gotten a lot closer over the weekend. How did the movie date go?"

"They were interesting movies," Zach said. "And Tony was very nice."

"Did you kiss?" Angela demanded.

Zach nodded. "We did not have intercourse, however. Tony said that there are a lot of things we can do between kissing and intercourse."

Hodgins snorted with amusement and Angela elbowed him. "He's right."

Zach continued, "He showed me some of those things yesterday after the model airplane show."

"Whoa," Hodgins said. "He went with you to the airplane show? He must be serious."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

"So, Zach, what are your intentions toward Tony?" Abby said once they had ordered their lunch.

Zach blinked at her. "I do not understand the question."

Abby blinked right back at him. Eventually a smile lit up her face. "Tony was right. You are just too cute for words. I meant, are you interested in pursuing a long term relationship with Tony? Because you have to understand what that will mean for Tony. He'd be taking a huge chance to make things work."

"Abby…" Tony growled, but both Abby and Zach ignored his warning.

"You are talking about the homophobic tendencies of some law enforcement and military personnel?" Zach asked. "Tony has mentioned the possibility that there could be difficulties for him. But he also said that he wanted to be honest about who he is. I am not sure how my presence in his life would affect that one way or the other."

"Because he might say he's ready, but I believe that he would never actually do anything about it unless he had a damned good reason," Abby said. "Falling for a young forensic anthropologist, for example. I'm not trying to put anything on you, but I'd like to know if you are as serious abut this as he is."

Since Tony wanted to know the answer to that question himself, he didn't try to interrupt this time.

Zach glanced at Tony before turning his attention back to Abby. "I like Tony a great deal. And I do not wish for him to be hurt. If it is better for him, I will stop seeing him and there will be no reason for his colleagues to find out."

"Not an option," Tony said as he covered Zach's hand with his own on top of the table. "I'm not going to let bigots dictate our relationship. I'm not willing to hide it either. And Abby, whether this works for a few days, a few weeks, a few months or the rest of our lives, I refuse to hide any longer."

Abby looked duly chastised while Zach lit up with the knowledge that Tony thought that much of their relationship even after only three dates. Of course, that made him think of a question.

"Tony, is this a date?" Zach asked. "Because your friend asked me, and that seems less date-like."

Tony chuckled. "It's a gray area. It can be a date if you want it to be a date. Or it can just be friends going out for lunch."

Zach glanced at Abby before leaning over to whisper to Tony. "If I choose to consider it a date, does that mean I can get a kiss at the end?"

Abby, having obviously overheard this, laugh loudly. "Tony, I really like this guy."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Two days after their lunch date with Abby—which did end with one very long and engaging kiss before they went back into the lab—the team concluded their research and Tony was sent back to NCIS. Tony was torn between being disappointed and being glad. He would miss spending all day with Zach, but he had been getting restless about getting back to his real job.

Of course, just because he wasn't spending all day with Zach didn't stop him from spending the evenings he wasn't working with the young scientist. In the days and weeks that followed, Tony spent a lot of time with Zach. Even Zach lost count of their dates somewhere around fifteen when it became clear that this was going to be a lasting thing between them. Zach no longer had any doubts about his sexuality and Tony was pleased to know that they had the potential for a future together. Because the more time he spent with Zach, the more time he wanted to spend with him.

Of course, things were not going as well at work as they were in Tony's private life. Rather than realizing the things that Tony did for the team and being grateful upon his return, it seemed like McGee and Ziva resented him, as if they blamed him for the bad mood that Gibbs had been in while he was gone. Of course, the more they bitched at him, the angrier Gibbs got. That led to Tony stepping in to spare the team, which for some reason seemed to piss them both off even more.

The only real bright spot in Tony's days in the weeks that followed his absence were the texts, emails and phone calls that he and Zach had begun using to communicate since they couldn't be together all the time now. The day before Thanksgiving, Tony was reading one such text at his desk, smiling to himself, when McGee and Ziva both noticed.

"He's found another floozy to warm his bed," McGee told Ziva.

"I have noticed a marked increase in private phone conversations," Ziva agreed. "I wonder how long she'll last before she figures out that Tony isn't worth the time."

Tony attempted to ignore the cutting comment as he sent a text back to Zach. The fact that Ziva had played on his deepest insecurities did not, however, slip past unnoticed. His hands were shaking even as he sent the message and put his phone back into his pocket. Rather than confront them, as Tony would normally do, he went to work on the report from their last case.

"See, be does not argue because he knows it is true," Ziva said when Tony didn't retaliate.

Before McGee could throw any more fuel on the fire, Gibbs returned to the bullpen and glared at the two junior agents. "McGee, David, unless your reports are finished, I suggest you get back to work! Unless you would prefer not to work here any longer?" They scrambled to get back to work.

Tony rose from his seat and carried his report over to Gibbs. "Here's the report on the Lipmann case. I also filed the supply requisition forms for this month. The list of cold cases has been updated to include the last twelve months. The weekly paperwork for accounting is in your inbox waiting for your signature. And I'm going home."

Gibbs took a good look at Tony's face and saw the pain in his eyes that the agent refused to show on his face. "Good work DiNozzo. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we're all still on for dinner at Jack's," Tony said with a small grateful smile.

"Need me to bring anything?" Gibbs asked. He was looking at Tony, but was watching the two junior agents out of the corners of his eyes.

"Angela and I are going to cook the turkey and most of the sides," Tony said. "Abby's making her homemade pulla bread and the others are bringing desserts. So just you, unless you know how to make that cornbread casserole your dad made the last time he was in town."

"I do," Gibbs said with a smirk. "I'll bring it along."

Tony went back to his desk and gathered his back pack. It was only two in the afternoon, but he and Gibbs had already agreed that he could go once he got everything finished. They weren't on call for the whole weekend and Tony intended to make the most of the time away from the office. Gibbs was gone again by the time Tony walked to the elevator and he could hear McGee and Ziva talking again, but he ignored them, just as he had been doing for weeks.

"How does he rate getting out early?" McGee wondered jealously.

"And who are the people he and Gibbs were discussing?" Ziva asked.

McGee said, "I have no idea. I didn't think either of them had any friends."

Tony gave a rueful smile as he stepped onto the elevator. There was a time when he would have counted Tim and Ziva as friends, but not so much anymore. They had shown him lately that they didn't really respect him. It shouldn't be such a surprise. After all, they hadn't respected him when Gibbs had run off to Mexico either. Time had not made that better; if anything, it had made it worse. McGee resented that Tony was senior agent and Ziva had never fully forgiven him for Rivkin, no matter what sacrifices he had made to get her back from Somalia when she had been Saleem's prisoner.

Tony knew that he and Ziva had danced around each other for a long time, but there had always been an underlying distrust on both sides. People at the office all thought that the tension between them was sexual—and perhaps there was a bit of that—but mostly it was a tension born of hidden suspicions and antagonism. And the ever-present cutting quips had grown more cutting and less quip-like over the years.

However, Tony was more upset by Tim's behavior than Ziva's. Tony had done everything he could to mentor the younger agent but McGee had never once recognized that was what Tony was doing. There was a time when Tony thought that Tim saw through the playboy façade, but the more time passed, the less willing Tim was to see past the surface. It was not only a sign of a failing friendship, it was a weakness as an investigator. It was that reason more than anything else that kept both Tony and Gibbs from recommending him for a promotion. Until he allowed himself to see beyond the obvious, Tim would never be ready to move up.

Tim, however, didn't see that. All he saw was the fact that he had more education and was better at the computer than Tony. He saw that the director favored him and those things made Tim get a big head with an increasingly large blind spot where the value of others' input was concerned. Tony had no doubt that McGee would be promoted eventually, with or without Gibbs and Tony's recommendation. But until that day, Tony continued to try and help the Probie learn from his mistakes, no matter what kind of an ass he was. It was his job.

Tony's phone buzzed to announce another incoming text. He flipped it open and smiled to see that it was from Zach. _When are you finished?_

Tony closed the message and pressed the speed dial for Zach. "Now. You want to go grocery shopping with me? I need to pick up some things before heading over to help Angela with the preparations for tomorrow."

"We are finishing up here," Zach said. "I'll meet you outside."

"Good," Tony said with a smile. "I've missed you."

"It has only been two days since we last spent time together," Zach pointed out.

"Don't care," Tony shrugged. "I'd spend all my time with you if I could."

"Would you?" Zach asked. He sounded perplexed.

"Oh yeah," Tony assured him as he waved to the security guards on his way out. "I definitely would."

"Why?" Zach asked.

Tony hesitated and then said, "Because you are the most honest person I know and I love that about you. I spend so much time with liars. Not just the criminals either. And they aren't the only ones lying. I can be honest with you in return and that's a rare thing in my life as well."

"Something has happened," Zach said. He was getting better at reading Tony.

"Nothing important," Tony said. "I'll tell you about it later. It just made me appreciate having you in my life."

"I will see you in a few minutes," Zach said. "I have missed you these past two days as well."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Just a quick FYI...For those of you who read my stories in the Queer As Folk fandom, I'll be starting to post a new Brian/Justin story tomorrow. This one is a little different than my usual B/J offerings. Brian and Justin are shape shifters... Hope to see you all over there.

**PART FIVE**

Thanksgiving dinner was a huge success. Between Angela and Tony, there were two very skilled cooks involved. And since they had access to their significant others—not so talented cooks—to do the running and heavy lifting, everything came out perfectly. Well, except the first batch of rolls, but everyone knows that the first batch always burns. Besides, Abby had brought her homemade pulla bread.

Hodgins lived in a mansion and there was plenty of room for everyone at the table in the formal dining room. In fact, Tony was pretty sure they could have accommodated another ten people. The guests were greeted by a maid and shown to what Hodgins called the drawing room. By the time everything was on the table, the others guests had already had a round of drinks and were talking amongst themselves.

Gibbs and Abby hadn't spent much time with the others, but Tony knew everyone pretty well from when he was assigned to the Jeffersonian team. The only person he hadn't yet met was Special Agent Seeley Booth. The team hadn't pulled any FBI cases while Tony was there, and the one time he had shown up at the museum had been the afternoon Tony, Abby and Zach had gone to lunch. He was particularly nervous about this meeting. Not because Booth was particularly close friends with Zach—in fact, from the stories he had heard, the FBI agent had no clue how to interact with Zach—but because he had the potential to spread the word about Tony.

Dinner was a lighthearted affair. Even Gibbs seemed to get into the spirit, though Abby's prodding probably helped. Afterward, since the house staff were celebrating with their own families, some of them cleaned up while Hodgins directed everyone else to the media room where they could relax and watch football. Tony knew that Zach wasn't really very interested in sports, but he was pleased when the younger man sat beside him on the sofa and began asking questions about the game. Tony was happy to answer him and wrapped his arm around his boyfriend.

It wasn't until later that evening that Tony was cornered by Booth. He had been having an interesting discussion with Temperance about the new play at the Kennedy Center when she was called away by Angela and Cam. Zach was off talking with Abby and Jack and Gibbs was nowhere to be seen.

"So you're the NCIS Agent that Zach has been blushing over for the last couple months," Booth said. "We never were formally introduced. I'm Seeley."

"Tony," Tony said as he shook the proffered hand. "Nice to finally meet you."

"I've asked around about you," Booth said casually and took a swig of his beer.

Tony plastered on his best smile. "I'm sure you were entertained with tales of my amazing feats."

Booth snorted. "No, but I did find out that you are one of the best agents at NCIS. That Tobias Fornell has been trying to lure you over to the FBI for years. That you are rather reckless and often injured in the line of duty. That you've been accused of murder more than once. And that you are a notorious womanizer."

"Sounds pretty accurate," Tony said easily, but his smile was tighter than it had been."

"Zach's a good guy and a bit naïve at times. I'd hate to see him hurt," Booth said. His face was stony.

"Good thing I have no intention of hurting him," Tony said. He eyed Booth for a minute. "Let's cut to the chase, here, alright? I've never killed anyone if it wasn't necessary for the job. I've gotten hurt, but I'm not reckless. And I spent a very long time hiding the fact that I prefer men. In order to maintain that façade, I dated women—a lot of women—but I never lied to them or pretended that it was ever anything more than it was."

"Why change now?" Booth asked and Tony could see his role as interrogator slipping and genuine curiosity taking its place.

"Because there's something about Zach that's special," Tony said.

Booth snorted. "He's special alright."

Tony ignored that. "And because I'm tired of hiding. I'm not looking to make some huge announcement and hold a coming out party, but I just don't care all that much if the people I work with find out anymore. Either they'll accept me or they won't."

Booth nodded at that. "They won't hear it from me. But you have to know that there are other connections between the agencies and the museum. Shelia, from Egyptology, is married to a guy on Fornell's team. Trent Maynard is a consultant who has done work for both our agencies and has connections at the museum. I'm sure there are others. DC is a small world, Tony."

"Duly noted," Tony said.

"Are you ready to go?" Zach asked Tony. The other two men had not heard him approach. "I believe Special Agent Gibbs is ready to leave as well."

"Gibbs," Tony corrected with a smile as he took Zach's hand. "I'm pretty sure he's told you to call him Gibbs at least a dozen times now."

Zach flushed. "Gibbs and Abby are leaving. And I thought we might walk back to my apartment."

"Sounds like a good plan," Tony agreed with a smile. "It's was good talking to you Seeley."

"Yeah," Seeley agreed.

They quickly said their goodbyes and walked out with Gibbs and Abby, saying more goodbyes before the two drove off together. Tony had parked down by Zach's place so the two walked the short distance to the garage hand in hand.

"You and Agent Booth were speaking rather intently."

"Noticed that did you?" Tony said wryly. "What am I thinking? Of course you noticed."

"What were you discussing?" Zach asked.

"You," Tony said. "He wanted to warn me about hurting you."

"Why would he do that?" Zach asked with a frown marring his brow.

Tony laughed and stopped to kiss Zach. When he pulled away and began walking again, he said, "Don't let the gruff exterior fool you, that guy likes you and was just trying to protect you. He's a lot like Gibbs, you know."

"Why do you believe that?" Zach asked.

"He might be all snippy and gruff on the surface, but the fact that he cares comes across in the way he tries to protect you," Tony said. "Gibbs is like that too. It took me a long time to really believe that I am important to him. I understand it now, but I didn't then. I might get on his nerves sometimes and it took a while for us to find common interests, but I know he cares. Your Agent Booth is the same way. He might not always know how to relate to you, but he cares about you."

Zach considered that and eventually nodded. "I will take your word for it. You are better with interpersonal skills than I am." They walked for a while longer and looked at the last of the turning leaves that still clung to the trees along the drive. "There was more to your conversation."

Tony chuckled. "You are getting better at reading people. Yes, there was more to our conversation. He just reminded me that there are ways for news of our relationship to get back to my coworkers."

"I still do not wish to be the cause of any trouble for you," Zach said.

They had reached the bottom of the steps to Zach's apartment and Tony pulled the younger man to a halt. "You are not the cause of any trouble," Tony told him seriously. "These last two months have been really great and if anything, you are the reason I feel happier than I have in a really long time. If things get bad, it won't be because of anything you have done, but because I… because I've spent so long hiding behind a mask that people may not accept anything else. But that's my fault not yours."

"It's not your fault," Zach argued. "If you felt the need to hide then there was a reason."

Tony chuckled before kissing Zach lightly on the lips. "Then it isn't either of our faults. It's the fault of close-minded people. But we don't know how things will work out, so let's not go borrowing trouble."

Zach nodded and then frowned. "I do not understand that expression."

"It just means, we'll worry about the problems if they actually happen. In the meantime, I'd rather just enjoy spending the holiday with my boyfriend."

They headed up the stairs and closed the door behind them.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Zach had never gone shopping on Black Friday, so Tony dragged him out of bed at an ungodly hour the next morning and the two spent the day shopping, enjoying the chaos that surrounded them. They ended up finding a few gifts for their friends on their excursion and finished the day with a nice dinner at one of Tony's favorite restaurants before heading back to Zach's house.

"I would like to have intercourse," Zach told Tony once they had reached the master bedroom.

Tony stopped for a minute as he processed that announcement. "O-okay. Where is this coming from?"

Zach blushed. "We have been dating for two months now."

"And I told you that there's no set schedule we have to follow," Tony reminded him. He took Zach into his arms and kissed him lightly to reassure the younger man.

"I accept that," Zach said. "But I have… I would like to take this next step. I have researched the mechanics of it and have attempted self-stimulation and I believe that it will prove to be as pleasurable as the other things we have done up to now."

It still confounded Tony the way Zach discussed sex as if it was like discussing the weather or the latest article in one of his science journals. "There's more to it than mechanics," Tony cautioned. "There is a higher level of intimacy involved, a joining of more than just bodies, if it's done right."

Zach nodded slowly. "I think… I think I would enjoy that as well."

Tony stared into Zach's eyes and enfolded him in his arms. "Yeah, I think I'd like that too."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

It started with a few sidelong glances which could have meant anything, but Tony knew what it really meant. Word had gotten around. It took three days for the news to spread through the building, but even then, Ziva and McGee didn't seem to know. That wasn't totally a surprise. The other agents and employees would assume that they already knew, either that or they were afraid to piss off Gibbs by causing trouble with his team. And no one said anything to Tony. They just watched and waited.

It was a week before Christmas, four days after Tony started noticing the looks, when word finally made it back to McGee and Ziva. Tony was on his way back from a coffee run, complete with a short call to Zach that made him smile, when he overheard them. Taking a page from Gibbs' book, he remained out of sight and just listened.

"I can't believe that he's been hiding something like this from us for so long," McGee said. "And after everything we've been through together."

"Well, personally, I hope it is not true," Ziva said. "I have no desire to work with someone of that nature."

There was a silence and Tony held his breath to hear McGee's response to that. "Why would you say that? It doesn't change anything about Tony. Who he sleeps with doesn't change his ability in the field, or the history between us all."

"You may not take your faith seriously, but I do," Ziva said coolly. "It is wrong and I will not turn a blind eye."

Tony could hear the anger in McGee's voice as he said, "After everything that Tony has done for you, this is how you act?"

"What has he done?" Ziva said. "He killed Michael."

"Who was an assassin trying to kill him," Tim reminded her. "And he and I both risked our lives to get you the hell out of Somalia!"

"That is of no consequence."

Tony had heard enough. Before Tim could do more than open his mouth to respond, Tony stepped around the corner and stopped him. "Don't worry about it Probie. There's no love lost. I don't regret getting her out, but I didn't do it for her anyway. I did it because Gibbs cares about her for some reason only god knows."

"Is it true?" McGee asked Tony as both men ignored Ziva for the moment, making her seethe.

"I'm gay," Tony said with a nod. "And I've been dating a really great guy for a few months now. He's a forensic anthropologist who works over at the Jeffersonian. We met on the Collins case."

Tim nodded slowly and took a moment to process what Tony was telling him. "So you've basically been living a lie for how long?"

"My whole life," Tony said. "There were reasons."

Tim nodded again and glanced over at Ziva, as if thinking that with people like that judging him, he might do the same. "So uh…"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Listen Probie, this doesn't change anything unless you choose to let it. Like you said, I'm still the same guy I was last week."

"I do not know how you expect us to trust you now," Ziva said angrily.

"You've never trusted me," Tony shrugged. He looked back at Tim, though his words were directed at Ziva. "And you've never respected me. I'm not sure how this is any different."

"He's right," Gibbs said, surprising all three members of his team. "If you have a problem with DiNozzo, I suggest you find another team to work on. Though I think you'll be surprised at the support Tony has in his corner."

"The director—"

Gibbs cut her off. "The director and SecNav both know and have offered Tony their support. Vance recognizes the contribution Tony makes to this team. In fact, didn't he offer you your own team, Tony?"

"Right after we discussed the possibility of this information causing problems with the team," Tony said.

"You turned him down?" McGee asked with disbelief. If it had been him, he'd have jumped on the opportunity.

"Yeah," Tony shrugged.

"Why?" McGee asked.

"This time, or the last three?" Gibbs asked and smirked at Tony. Tony didn't know he knew about any but the first and last.

"You have been offered teams four times and turned them all down?" McGee asked.

"The first time I wasn't ready, no matter what Director Morrow thought," Tony said. "The next two times, the team needed me."

"When was that?" McGee asked.

Tony glanced at Gibbs and he nodded. "When Gibbs came back from Mexico and after we got Ziva out of Somalia."

"Why this time?" McGee asked.

Tony smiled. "Because there's no way in hell I was going to move to New Orleans and leave Zach behind."

Gibbs nodded in approval at Tony's choice before turning to McGee and Ziva. "DiNozzo isn't going anywhere. In fact, after this last conversation, Tony is slated to take over this team once the agency forces me to retire from active field duty in two years. He's got two years to get you up to speed on how to be a senior agent, McGee. I expect you to pay attention."

"Yes, boss," McGee said a little breathlessly. Two years. It seemed like a long time to wait, but he'd been considering a lot of things lately, among them the fact that even though he _felt_ ready to move up, he knew in his heart that there was a lot he still had to learn.

"Agent David," Gibbs said, addressing the former Mossad officer directly. Their eyes met and held. "I have given you a lot of leeway as far as your attitude and behavior toward Agent DiNozzo. That's mostly because, despite your distrust, you have been able to perform your duties. But the constant antagonism that has been growing and the complete lack of respect for a superior has become intolerable. It's blatant insubordination. Either you learn to respect Agent DiNozzo and keep your personal opinions to yourself, or you will be off this team faster than you can count to three."

The entire bullpen had stopped to listen to the exchange, but when they heard that murmurs began to grow. The MCRT, infamous for their teamwork, seemed to be on the verge of splitting.

Ziva noticed all the people staring at her and growled as she stalked closer to Gibbs so as not to be overheard when she hissed, "I believed we had an understanding."

"No, you believed you had manipulated me into getting your way," Gibbs corrected her equally as quiet. "You tried to use the death of your brother to force a bond between us. And then you used that supposed bond to get information for your father. Only, he was using you the same way you used us. Now that you are on your own, you have tried to use the estrangement of your father to garner sympathy. You have no idea how to be part of a team or even be a true friend. I feel sorry for you, Ziva, and I care about you. But I chose Tony in Israel, and I'll choose him now, too."

Ziva stepped back and looked stricken. "I will not respect a man who is not a man."

"Then I suggest you either turn in your badge or your transfer request," Gibbs told her.

Tony watched the hard face of his boss, but he could also see the regretful eyes of his friend. He hated that he was once again causing Gibbs to have to choose between him and Ziva. But he was not sorry to see Ziva go. And going she was. She grabbed something from her desk and stormed away, heading up the stairs to the director's office.

"McGee, DiNozzo, go pick up lunch for everyone and bring it back here," Gibbs said. "I have a feeling we're going to have some things to discuss when you return."

"Yes, Boss," both men said.


	6. Chapter 6

**PART SIX**

"I'm actually glad Gibbs sent us for lunch together," Tim said once they had left the Navy Yard and were walking down the streets of DC. "I've wanted to talk with you for a while, even before all the rest of this stuff happened."

"What's on your mind, Probie?" Tony asked.

Tim stopped and stepped to the side so that they would be out of the way of the other pedestrians and Tony followed suit. "I wanted to apologize for being an ass to you all these years. And to thank you for… well for making me a better agent."

Tony nodded slowly. "You're welcome. Why the turn around?"

Tim shrugged. "A few weeks ago, right before Thanksgiving, Ziva and I were being jerks to you. I knew it at the time, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. But when she… well, some of the stuff she said to you was cruel and some of the stuff she said after Gibbs left… I didn't really like how ugly she was being and I wondered why she would think I'd be okay with her saying things like that. And then I realized that I've been just as bad.

"I don't always understand why you do some of the things you do," Tim admitted. "But when I sat down and started thinking about everything, I realized that I take a lot of what you do for the team—and for me—for granted. I've let my own ego get the better of me. I let petty jealousy cause me to forget the things that you've done for me, like being there after that whole fiasco with that off-duty Metro cop.

"So I've spent some time thinking and watching you," Tim said. "And I discovered that you do a lot of stuff for the team that we never even notice. Vance kept talking about how he expected great things from me and how he expected that I would move up the ranks quickly. I got a big head. But the last few weeks I realized that I have absolutely no idea how to do what you do. It's more than just the extra paperwork. You handle Gibbs and deal with the local LEOs and… you're a better investigator than I'll ever be."

"Hey, if you aren't a great investigator yet, that's partly my fault," Tony said gently. "You've got the potential or else Gibbs never would have brought you on the team. And you've improved a lot since those first days. But you stalled out a while back. You stopped being willing to listen and stopped being willing to learn. And so you stopped improving. But that's not all on you. It's my job to get you motivated and teach you. Somewhere along the line we disconnected."

Tim nodded, grateful that Tony was willing to take some of the blame even if Tim thought it was just the older agent being kind. "I'm ready to learn now. I want to learn, if you're still willing to teach me."

Tony smiled at the younger man as he slung his arm over his shoulder and they continued on their way towards the deli. "First lesson Probie: how to keep the Bossman from killing you… don't be late returning from lunch."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

"Then what happened?" Zach asked over dinner that evening. Tony had made shrimp carbonara for them in Zach's kitchen. Sometimes Tony thought it would be worth hanging on to Zach just for access to that kitchen.

"We got back and Gibbs was up in the director's office," Tony said. "It took almost half an hour before he returned and ordered us to bring the food to the conference room. The three of us went up and met up with Ducky and Abby there. So over sandwiches, Gibbs told us that Ziva put in for that transfer and would be leaving for Italy. He looked between Tim and me and seemed pleased that we'd worked things out. Ducky and Abby seemed very disappointed that Ziva would allow her prejudices to interfere with her job, but otherwise took everything okay. And when we finally broke up and went back to work, Ziva's desk was cleaned out. She hadn't even bothered to say goodbye to anyone. I mean, I can understand why she wouldn't wait around to talk to me, but the others all seemed a little hurt."

"I am sorry," Zach told Tony.

Tony smiled at Zach. "Hey, none of that. I told you, none of this is your fault. It's not your fault that Ziva clings to her prejudices. And anyway, things are looking up with Tim and I have you in my life. I couldn't be happier."

Zach nodded. "Okay. What are you going to do for Christmas?"

"Jackson is coming down from Stillwater, so I'll go spend the day with him and Gibbs," Tony said. "They're less to likely to spend the whole day arguing if I'm around. I like Jackson, anyway. Don't worry about me. You go and enjoy your holidays with your family."

"I am not sure I will enjoy them," Zach said. "I have become accustomed to spending time with you. Being apart for a week is not… I am not looking forward to that."

Tony took Zach's hand and kissed his knuckles. "I'll miss you too. But you'll be back before New Years, and we can celebrate that together."

"Tony, I have been contemplating our relationship," Zach said. "We spend almost every evening together and I believe that we both enjoy our time together."

"More than anything," Tony agreed.

"It does not make sense to maintain two separate residences when we are together every night," Zach said.

Tony blinked at his lover. "You want to move in together?"

"It is a rational solution," Zach said.

"Very logical," Tony said with a grin. "I'd love to live with you. Would Jack mind if I moved in here?"

Zach smiled. "You just want my kitchen."

"You've caught me," Tony teased.

"I have spoken with Hodgins," Zach said. "He said that he would love to have you around. And then he said something about football and poker which I did not fully comprehend."

Tony chuckled. "I think he's just looking forward to having someone around who shares some common interests. I love you, but you are not a typical guy by any stretch of the imagination."

"That makes sense I suppose," Zach said. "When will you move?"

"When do you want me to move?" Tony asked.

"Today?" Zach suggested shyly.

"I think that's a little impractical," Tony said mischievously.

"Right," Zach said and a faint blush darkened his cheeks.

"We'll talk about it when you get back," Tony assured him. "When's your flight?"

"Two," Zach told him.

"Good, then we'll have plenty of time in the morning to say goodbye properly before I drop you off," Tony said with a leer and was pleased when Zach's blush deepened.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

"Where should I put these?" Tim asked as he and Gibbs hefted a couple boxes.

Tony glanced at what they were carrying and shrugged. "Tim, your boxes go in the office and Gibbs, you can put those in the bedroom."

Abby and Ducky were in the process of unpacking all of Tony's cookware in the kitchen. Gibbs, Palmer, Tim, Hodgins and Booth carried boxes up from the truck. Angela and Temperance were unpacking Tony's clothes in the bedroom. Tony, meanwhile, was directing traffic and attempting to oversee the piano movers. He had sold most of his furniture on Craig's List but he couldn't live without his baby grand piano.

"Zach better appreciate this," Booth muttered as he carried another couple boxes of DVDs towards the living room.

"You know he will," Jack said. "He's going to be thrilled."

It was two days after Christmas and Tony had scrambled to get everything organized on such short notice, but it was all coming together now, thanks to the combined efforts of their two teams. Zach would be totally surprised when he arrived home in two days.

"This is the last of the boxes," Palmer said as he set down the last two boxes of DVDs. "There's just the media center and television left."

Gibbs grunted. "Well, let's get them in here."

Tony finished up with the piano movers and sat down at the keyboard for a moment. The movers had tuned it before leaving and he was pleased to hear the familiar notes flowing perfectly from the instrument.

"I'm starving," Tim said as he plopped down on the sofa a few feet away.

Tony sighed and stood up. "I'll order some pizza."

"Don't stop playing," Abby ordered. "I'll order the pizza and you can entertain the rest of us."

There were murmurs of agreement, so Tony pulled out some sheet music, sat back at the keyboard and started playing Chopin's _Revolutionary Étude:_ Opus 10, No. 12. Most of the others were unpacking boxes or resting for a few minutes but everyone was enthralled by Tony's playing. It wasn't often that Tony shared his talent with anyone, but he was just too happy right then to worry about hiding his love of music. From the etude, he moved into the _Minute Waltz_. Chopin was Tony's favorite composer, even though he liked all of the classical composers.

Tony had just finished playing Mazurka No. 5 in B-flat from Opus 7 when the pizza arrived and they all took a break to eat. Afterwards, he helped organize the DVD collection. It was amazing how quickly the ten of them were able to get everything unpacked and organized. By five in the evening, there were only a few boxes left and the two teams were pulling on their coats to go home.

"What's going on?"

Tony, along with everyone else turned towards the apartment door and froze. There stood Zach with his suitcase in hand. Tony stepped forward and gave Zach a hug and a wry smile. "Surprise?"

Zach looked around at the others and then around the great room. "Is that your piano?"

"Yeah," Tony said.

"And your DVDs?" Zach asked.

"Um, yeah," Tony said. "I moved in. Everyone helped. It was supposed to be a surprise. Wait, why are you home so early?"

"Thank you," Zach said with a small smile. "It was a nice surprise. Thanks everyone."

One by one, the others welcomed Zach home and took their leave until only Zach and Tony were left. Tony wrapped the younger man in a tight hug and kissed him deeply. "I missed you so much, and I'm glad you're here, but you never said why you are home early."

Zach sighed and pulled away. "Can we sit down for this discussion? I am very tired."

"Sure," Tony said and led Zach over to the sofa. "What happened?"

"I told them about you," Zach said. "About us. It did not go well."

"Oh, babe, I'm so sorry," Tony said and pulled Zach into his arms again.

Zach shrugged but Tony could tell that he was more upset than he was letting on. "They are very conservative and religious. It is not a complete surprise. I did not expect such an… extreme reaction, however.

"I waited until after Christmas to tell them," Zach said. "I did not wish to spoil the holiday. I told them over dinner yesterday. There was a lot of yelling." Tony could imagine. Zach was not an overly demonstrative person, but he came from a very demonstrative family. Tony was pretty sure that the yelling would have been only one way. "And then my father asked me to leave. So I did. I could not get a flight out last night, so I spent the night at the airport."

Tony held Zach tighter in his arms. "Are you okay?"

"I am glad you were here when I arrived," Zach admitted. "I… really wanted to see you."

"I'm glad I was here too," Tony said.

Zach looked around the room again and noted some of the changes. "How did you arrange this so quickly?"

"It was a lot of work," Tony said. "But it was totally worth it. The hardest part was getting the piano movers. Both our teams helped with everything else."

"We should do something nice to thank them," Zach said around a yawn.

"I was thinking we could have a dinner party next week," Tony said. "Why don't you take a nap while I fix dinner?"

Zach nodded tiredly, already half asleep in Tony's arms. Tony helped him get settled and then spread his Ohio State throw blanket over Zach to keep him warm. A quick kiss to the forehead and Zach was already sleeping.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Vance insisted that they add another member of the team to replace Ziva. Gibbs fought the inevitable for as long as possible, but eventually he gave in and began looking for someone who would fit into their eclectic team. Despite Vance's insistence that there were plenty of good agents already in the agency, Gibbs turned down every suggestion. Tony watched warily while Gibbs rejected one applicant after another.

It wasn't until March that they finally found a decent prospect. She was the lead detective on a murder case that had the local LEOs in Norfolk and NCIS working together. Janie Garret was not your typical local LEO. She was young, African American, ambitious and feisty. She held her own against Tony's teasing and offered some helpful input into the case. Tony could tell that Gibbs was interested in offering her the position, but was surprised when the older agent held back. The case ended and they went home to DC and not a word had been said about bringing Garret onboard.

Tony called Zach and told him that he'd be late getting home. He needed to talk to Jethro. Tony picked up dinner and beer and headed to Gibbs' house.

"I was wondering when you'd get here," Gibbs said from the sofa as soon at Tony walked through the door. He was looking through a file, his reading glasses low on his nose, but he stopped when Tony set down the food and beer.

"Whatcha reading?" Tony asked once the food had been distributed and the beers opened.

"Garret's personnel file," Gibbs said and handed the folder over to Tony.

Tony lifted his brows. Gibbs had never given him a file of any of the other prospective agents. Deciding not to question it, Tony read through the pages. There were commendations and one or two disciplinary notations, but overall, it was a good record. She had only made detective a year ago, but she had a pretty good reputation for solving cases. Her biggest issues seemed to be that she was overly ambitious and that sometimes rubbed people the wrong way, especially her superiors.

"Impressive stats," Tony said once he'd finished reading. He felt like he was being tested.

"Yep," Gibbs said and took a long swig of his beer.

"What am I not seeing?" Tony asked finally.

"She's young," Gibbs said. "Got a lot of rough edges. Think you can smooth them out?"

Tony finally got it. Gibbs wouldn't be there long enough to finish the job training her. That would be up to Tony once Gibbs retired. And just like Tony was now preparing Tim to take on more responsibility as the senior agent, Gibbs was preparing Tony for what would come when he was lead agent.

"I think she'll be a good fit," Tony said. And he really did.

"You going to be ready when I go?" Gibbs asked.

"No," Tony admitted with a rueful smile. "Not ever going to be ready for that. Can I do the job? Yeah, I can."

"I know you can do the job," Gibbs said. "Known that for years."

"I guess it's time to step up then?" Tony asked.

"Yeah."

* * *

><p>AN: Well, just one chapter left in this story. Thanks for the great support and reviews! And don't forget, I just started posting a new Queer as Folk story called Shifting. Jules


	7. Chapter 7

**PART SEVEN**

Tony considered the conversation with Gibbs for several days before he made the call to Garret. He wanted to be sure of not only the decision to bring her on but how he would conduct himself once he had. Tim would adapt, as he had before, but Tony wanted this new person to know from the beginning that he wasn't just a light-hearted playboy. He wasn't trying to find a new mask to wear; he was simply attempting to balance the different parts of his personality so that he could be most effective.

"You're thinking too hard, DiNozzo," Gibbs finally growled at him from behind his desk. "Just make the damned call."

"Right," Tony said with a sigh.

Garret was thrilled to be offered the job and agreed to come up to DC for the formal interview and evaluation process. Once that was done, she'd spend a couple weeks at FLETC. Before the month was out, they would have four on the team again.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

"How is the new agent?" Zach asked over dinner a few weeks later.

"It's been interesting," Tony said with an ironic smile. "She thinks she knows everything and she thinks she could lead the team if only someone would recognize her genius."

Zach nodded as he stood to begin cleaning up. "I was once like that. Dr. Brennan showed me otherwise."

"Yeah well, that's my job: showing her otherwise," Tony sighed. "She hates me already."

"You do not like being disliked," Zach stated.

"No I don't," Tony said. "But there's no way to get her to recognize her limitations without pointing out her mistakes and reminding her of her place. She doesn't take criticism well."

That was an understatement. They had had a serious argument after Garret had overstepped her place and had given privileged information to a local LEO. Gibbs was ready to toss her, but Tony had convinced him to let him handle it. Unfortunately, that meant Tony had to pull rank on the probationary agent, something he hated doing and something she deeply resented.

"Do you think she will resign?" Zach asked.

Tony shrugged. "Only time will tell. If she doesn't shape up though, she won't have the option to resign. Jethro will fire her."

"Have you told her that?" Zach asked.

Tony paused. "No, actually I haven't. You think I should go with brutal honesty?"

"Honesty is always the most logical option," Zach said. "Dishonesty requires more energy and almost always fails eventually. The consequences of honesty are usually minor in comparison."

Tony chuckled at that. "Well, you've given me an idea. I'm going to invite Janie here for dinner tomorrow evening and we'll see how far honesty gets us."

"Would you like me to go out?" Zach asked. "I could spend the evening with Hodgins and Angela."

Tony shook his head. "No, you've met the rest of the team, so it's time you met Janie as well. Besides, it'll make convincing her to come easier if you're here."

"Okay," Zach agreed. He finished putting the dishes into the dishwasher and then went up to Tony and straddled his lap. "Will you take me to bed now?"

"It would be my pleasure, babe."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

"What has you so quiet?" Hodgins asked Zach the next afternoon.

Zach was working on a new set of bones from a dig in Antarctica but set aside his tools for a moment to look at his friend. "I have been considering the reasons why sex with Tony is so good. All of my other partners declared me to be the worst partner in their experience. With data like that, it is hard not to conclude that they must have been correct. However, Tony believes that I am the best he's ever had sex with. Either he is wrong or the others were."

"Tony throws off your hypothesis," Jack said with a grin. "You know, some might say that you were using the wrong elements in your original experiments and therefore the first three attempts were invalid."

"Because they were women?" Zach asked.

Jack nodded. "Also because there wasn't the emotional attachment with them that there is with Tony."

"Emotions have no place in science," Zach frowned.

"Ah, but this isn't really science, is it?" Jack asked but didn't wait for an answer. "This is your life, and in life emotions play a huge role in how we act. It motivates our behavior."

"The theory of reasoned action," Zach said with a nod. "The attitude towards the act or behavior is weighted and added to the weighted subjective norm resulting in the behavioral intention which leads to the action. BI=(AB)W1+(SN)W2 where: _BI _= behavioral intention, (_AB_) = one's attitude toward performing the behavior, _W _= empirically derived weights, and _SN _= one's subjective norm related to performing the behavior."

Hodgins sighed. "Yeah, that's kind of what I was getting at. When you care about a person, or love them, it's easier to connect on a physical level because other things don't get in the way. For instance, with Naomi, I'm betting that you were nervous."

"Very," Zach admitted.

"And you probably over-thought everything that you did," Jack said. "Is it like that with Tony?"

Zach shook his head. "No. In fact, from the very first time, I was more focused on pleasure than any specific thing we did."

"You were able to relax and enjoy the experience because you were comfortable with Tony," Jack explained. "Without all that extra nonsense running through your brain, the sex was much better. And don't let what those girls said throw you. In bed, it takes two people to have good sex. They were probably just as nervous and uptight as you were."

"That is what Tony said," Zach nodded. "It is good to hear it from an unbiased source, however. Thank you."

"How are things going with you and Tony?" Jack asked. He was ready to change the subject. He didn't mind helping Zach understand things, but sex was one of those topics where he had his limits.

"Very well," Zach said. "He has been having some difficulty with the new member on his team and he decided to take my advice and have an honest discussion with her. She is coming for dinner tonight."

"I hope you aren't cooking," Jack teased.

Zach frowned. "I am getting better. Tony has taught me how to make three meals now and I haven't burnt anything for a while. I am not, however, cooking tonight."

Hodgins laughed and ruffled Zach's hair.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

Tony was already hard at work in the kitchen when Hodgins dropped Zach off that evening. "Smells good," Zach said as he shed his jacket and headed for the room where his lover was.

"Thanks," Tony said. He paused in his stirring long enough to kiss Zach. "How was your day dear?"

"Before I lived with you I would not have understood that you were trying to be funny with that remark," Zach commented. He sat at the counter and watched Tony work. "My day, however, was rather pleasant. We received a shipment of three skeletons from a dig in the Antarctica which are believed to belong to aboriginal South American tribes from more than a thousand years ago. We have been charged with discovering their origins as well as the cause of death."

"Freezing to death seems likely," Tony joked.

"It is one possibility," Zach said. "But the likelihood that any aboriginal tribe would have sent only three men on an expedition of that nature seems remote. They have not found any further evidence of human remains or of the craft that the explorers would have used to reach Antarctica."

"Sounds pretty exciting," Tony said. "Better than my day at least. We didn't catch a case so we spent all day going over cold cases. Well, I also spent some time showing Tim how to do some of the paperwork for the team. It should help take some of the pressure off of me in the long run, but right now, everything takes twice as long because I have to explain everything to him."

Zach didn't have a chance to respond because there was a knock at the door. Waving at Tony to keep doing what he was doing, Zach went to let in Agent Garret.

"Good evening," Zach said to the beautiful young woman. "I'm Zach Addy. You must be Agent Garret."

"Please, call me Janie," she said with a warm smile. "I get enough of Agent Garret at work. And most of it isn't good."

Zach smiled and nodded. "Please come in." He took her jacket and hung it on one of the hooks by the door. "Tony is in the kitchen. This way."

Zach led the way and Janie followed. "This is a nice place you have. When Tony said you guys lived above a garage this is not what I was expecting at all. I was shocked when I saw the size of the property."

"My colleague, Jack Hodgins, owns the land and lives up in the main house," Zach explained. He gestured for Janie to sit at the counter and he went to prepare drinks for the three of them.

"Jack's loaded," Tony said. "But you'd never meet a nicer guy."

"White wine?" Zach asked her.

"That would be great," Janie said. "This Jack, is he a scientist like you? Tony said you work at the Jeffersonian but didn't say much more."

Zach poured two glasses of wine and handed them out before pouring a glass of water for himself. "I am a forensic anthropologist. Hodgins works on the same team as I do, but he studies the insects, soil and other environmental causes of deterioration. We often do work for the FBI, but our actual purpose is to identify the skeletal remains of ancient peoples."

"Wow, sounds… fascinating," Janie said with a smile, but Zach could tell that she was lying. She looked like all of the girls he had ever dated: completely lost and bored.

Tony stepped in and brought the conversation onto more neutral ground and soon the meal was complete and they gathered at the dining table. Dinner conversation was light and centered around how Zach and Tony had met and their subsequent courtship. It hadn't even been a year, and yet they both felt like they had been together forever in many ways.

After dinner, Zach excused himself to go work in the office. In fact, he began playing a computer game that Tim McGee had introduced him to a few weeks earlier.

Out in the other room, Tony turned to Janie Garret. She smiled warily at him. "Zach seems really… nice."

"He is," Tony said. "Most people take a little time to get past the rough edges, but he's a really great person."

"He seems a little socially awkward," Janie said diplomatically.

"You would be too if you had spent your entire youth studying," Tony shrugged. "He had two Doctorates by the time he was 22 years old. He's got three masters and four undergraduate degrees. His IQ is off the charts."

"Impressive," Janie said and looked toward the closed office door. Then she looked back at Tony. "But you didn't invite me here to talk about your partner."

Tony shook his head. "No, I didn't; though I have wanted you to meet him."

"Why are we here then?" Janie asked.

"Can I be brutally honest?" Tony asked in return. Janie nodded, though it was slow and she looked apprehensive. "Good. Janie, you are a very smart woman and a very capable detective, but you are not as good as you seem to believe." Janie frowned and would have spoken but Tony went on before she could. "I'm not trying to insult you. I think you have the potential to be a very good agent… someday. But you have been pushing the boundaries from day one. The only reason Gibbs hasn't fired you yet is because I asked him not to."

Janie looked shocked by that news. "He wants to fire me?"

"You gave confidential information to an outside agency," Tony reminded her. "I don't care if we were working together or not, you don't have the authority to do that."

"But nothing happened," Janie said a little defensively.

Tony sighed. "This time. And that isn't the point. The procedures are in place for a reason."

"You and Gibbs both break protocol," Janie pointed out.

"And we face the consequences when we do," Tony told her. "We also have a lot more time on the job than you do and we know when that is appropriate and when it isn't. I was a detective before I came to NCIS. I know what you had to go through to get where you were in Norfolk. But you have to understand that while the two jobs might seem the same on the surface, in reality they are very different."

"I don't understand," Janie said. "We solve crimes and catch the bad guys."

"There's more to being a federal agent than that," Tony said. "We don't just chase down murderers and drug pushers, though there is some of that. We deal with the military, and those guys are a whole world unto themselves. We also deal with arms dealers and terrorists and political assassins. The leaking of confidential information could get people killed."

Janie looked adrift and Tony felt a little bad for her. "So what do I do?"

"Forget the tough know-it-all persona that you adopted to get by on the force and let me teach you," Tony said. "Let Tim help you. And don't, for god's sake, talk back to Gibbs. It'll make my life much easier if I don't have to keep him from shooting you on a daily basis."

That last was said lightly and Janie actually laughed a little. "Thanks Tony. I'll try to be a little more receptive in the future."

"Just cut yourself some slack," Tony said. "You're new; nobody expects you to know everything in a day."

Janie laughed dryly. "Except me."

"Except you," Tony agreed. He turned back towards the office and shouted, "Hey Zach, get away from that geeky computer game and get your ass out here." He looked back at Janie with a smile. "I swear to god I'm going to kill Tim if he ever shows Zach another computer game."

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

It was exactly one year to the day since Tony and Zach first met at that crime scene in Anacostia. Twelve months had passed and Tony knew without a doubt that no matter how long they were together that he would never grow tired of being with his younger lover. He knew without a doubt that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. And so, when Tony picked Zach up from work that evening, rather than driving home, he turned the car towards Alexandria, to a very nice restaurant where they had reservations.

Zach, unaware that the night was so momentous, chatted brightly about the break he had made in the current FBI case they were working and how he had been able to declare himself King of the Lab over Jack. Tony listened and laughed at the appropriate moments, but in truth, his mind was more on his plans for after dinner.

Dinner passed effortlessly, as it usually did when the two men were together. It still amazed Tony how uncomplicated things could be between them, despite their differences. Tony often teased Zach about the need to teach him about life, but the truth was Zach often showed him new ways to look at the world. Zach's unique perspective was at times very insightful. They were equals in a way that seemed almost impossible considering the differences in their ages and personalities.

Tony ordered dessert for the two of them, adding on a request for champagne. Zach rarely drank, but he didn't protest when Tony handed him a flute of the bubbling tawny liquid.

"What is the occasion?" Zach wondered before taking a small sip.

Tony smiled. "It was exactly one year ago today that we met."

Zach smiled back at Tony. "A memorable day."

"Very," Tony agreed. He raised his glass. "To us."

"To us," Zach agreed and clinked their glasses together.

Tony waited for Zach to put his glass of champagne on the table before reaching for his hand. "You know I love you."

Zach nodded. "I do. And I love you."

Tony took a deep breath and smiled. "Yeah, I know. The last year has been the best of my life and that's all down you having you. I want that to last forever."

"So do I," Zach admitted shyly.

Tony smiled again, but he was a bit nervous this time. He pulled a small jeweler's box from his jacket pocket and opened it. Inside, nestled in the white satin, were two platinum bands with a single emerald in each. "Zachary Uriah Addy, Will you marry me?"

Contrary to his usual reserved nature, Zach jumped up from his seat, flung himself into Tony arms and kissed him deeply. It was several long minutes before he pulled away and said with a smile, "Yes, Anthony Michael DiNozzo, I will marry you."

Unbeknownst to the happy couple, the other patrons and the restaurant staff around them had stopped and watched the happy moment and when they heard Zach's answer, they began to applaud the couple and offer their congratulations.

Tony laughed and hugged Zach tighter as the younger man ducked his head and blushed.

**TZTZTZTZTZ**

"It has been a really interesting year," Tony said to Gibbs the next afternoon over beer in Gibbs' basement. Tony had shown up at Gibbs' to tell him the big news.

"Very," Gibbs agreed.

"I can't believe he said yes," Tony said with a smile and took another drink of his beer.

"He's a smart kid," Gibbs said. "And he's lucky to have you."

"I'm lucky to have him," Tony countered.

Gibbs smirked. "True."

"You'll be the best man, of course," Tony stated. "And I was hoping Jackson will come."

"I doubt you could keep him away," Gibbs said wryly.

Tony grinned. "Yeah. He's going to want to know when you're going to settle down."

Gibbs groaned. "Thanks for that thought."

Tony looked at Gibbs with a teasing expression. "Well, we aren't getting married until next summer. That will give you almost a year to find someone." Gibbs snorted and Tony smirked. "Hey, a lot can happen in a year."

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So, that's the end of this tale. I'm considering doing a follow up story on Gibbs, but haven't come up with any pairing that I really like. Ideas? Doesn't necesarily have to be in the NCIS or Bones worlds, though I'm more familiar with those than I am with most shows. If I can find a good pairing and a decent plot, I'll work on a sequel. Well, thanks for the support and I hope you all enjoyed the story. See you next time! Jules


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